Signal apparatus for automobiles.



M. G. STAMM. SIGNAL APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOBILES.- AIEPLIOATION FILED NOV.11,1912.

1,096,571. Patented May 12,1914,

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MARTIN C. STAMM, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SIGNAL APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Application filed November 11,1912. Serial No. 730,658

To all whom-it may com-cm Be it known that I. \lARTlN (J. STAMMT. a

subject of the Emperor of (xerinany, residing at Chicago. in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented ce'rtain new and useful Iinproi'enients in Signal Apparatus tor Automobiles. of which the following is a specification. I

It is well known that when an automobile driver is turning corners or turning around he is apt to be wholly engaged with the con trol and operation of the car so that he does not sound a horn or signal even it"thc car is supplied with the samc,and accidents are l liable to happen on account of such lack oi 1 warning.

- The present invention relates to means whereby a horn or signal will be automatically'sounded when an operator or driver turns the car, and also to protective means whereby a warning will be sounded if the car isstarted by some unauthorized person.

The objects of this invention are to provide a simple and-ellicient mechanism whereby a warning signal will be causedtp oper ate when the front wheels of a car are turned, and also to provide an auxiliary device which may he arranged when the. car is i left by the driver or owner so that the warning will be sounded if any one attempts to steal or run away with the car, and also to provide such novel details of construction and arrangement of parts as will appear hereinafter. i

In the accompanying drawings illustrat ing my invention; Figure 1 is a plan view indicating the front axle assembly and wheels as commonly used in automobiles'in connection with my horn or signal apparatus; Fig. 2 is a detail of one of the electric contacts; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail or the parts a pplicd to the axle; and Fig. 4: isa sectional end view of the parts shown in Fig. 3, with one of the contacts LJillOVQd.

As indicated in these drawings, 5 represeats the 'lfront axle of an automobile or other vehicle which is provided with the usual spindles G, for the t'ront wheels 7. These spindles are provided with steering arms 8, S which are connected by means of a steering cross-rod S). This cross rod is shown as being located behind the axle,

although in some instancesit may be lo-' cated in lroiit thereof, the drawing merely indicating the well lfllflwll construction of such dev ces. The wheels are turned by the steering cross-rod 9.

' gitudinally of the bracket.

and 19 carry spring contacts 20 and 21.:these i turning one of the arms 8, the movement of this arm being transmitted to the. c0rresponding' arm on the other side by means of It will be seen that the rod 9 moves longitudinally of the axle as well as slightly approaching the same as the wheels are turned. I take advantage of this relative movement of the axle and Steel-' clamp 11, which clamps around the crossrod 9. one. portion thereof being provided with a finger or projection 12 as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. 'Tliisicontact is preferably insulated from the rod .9 by

means of an insulatii'ig sleeve 13.

The axle is provided with a clamp 14: which carries the contacts forengagement with the contact 1O. Such contacts may In the be maderelatively stationary, but I prefer to make them adjustable. In orderto do.

this in a convenientmanner, the clamp 14' is provided on the rear side with a. groove '15 which is adapted to receive tongues .16

and 17 of the outwardly extending arms or v brackets 1.8 and 19. These tongues are provided with set screws 20 so that the arms may be adjusted to any desired position loncontacts being held bynieans of screws 22 which pass through slots in the springs, thereby enabling the springs to be adjusted longitudinally of the arms. These springs or contacts are provided on their outer faces at their outer ends with plates or strips 23 of non-eonducting material. Th contact 10 is connected by means of .a wire or conductor 24 with one terminal of a battery 25; the' opposite terminal of this battery being connected by means of a'wire 26 with one terminal of an'e-lectric horn or signal 27. signal may be any of the horns, bells or simi.-

"lar electric devices now in common use.

The opposite terminal of the signalQT is connected by means of a wire .28 with one or both of the contacts 20 and QLthese contacts being ()I'Lhlltlllly iii elec 1c connection The arms -18 l Such with each other through the arms and bracket.

It will be observed that the bracket may be insulated from the axle if necessary, although, this will ordinarily not be required.

The, operation of the apparatus as thus described is as follows: Then the contacts and 21 are properly adjusted with respect to the contact 10, the signal will not be sounded as long as the vehicle is moving straight ahead. However, if the front wheels are turned a sufficient distance, the contact 10 will make connection with one or the other of the contacts 20 or 21' which will close the circuit from the battery to the signal 27, thereby causing the signal to sound. In turning around, as for instance in a street, it may not be desired to have the signal sound continuously, therefore, the contacts are preferably arranged so that after the wheels have been turned to a certain extent, the contact 10 will passbeyond the contact 20 or 21 with which it engages. Then, when the wheels are again straightened, it will not ordinarily be necessary to sound the signal again so I provide the insulating plates 23 which will prevent electric connection between the contacts when the contact 10 passe's'back to its central position.

It will be seen that by means of this apparatus, I provide a simple and efficient mechanism whereby an electric-signal may be automatically sounded when a car is turned, thereby relieving the driver of the necessity of operating'the same, and serving to assist in prevention of accidents.

In some instances it may be desired to arrange contacts so that very slight movement of the front wheels will cause the signal to be sounded, for instance to prevent the theft or unauthorized taking of the machine. In order to accomplish this I provide an auxiliary forked contact member 29, whichis pivoted at to an arm 31, which arm may be adjustably secured to the bracket 14 as above described in connection with the arms 18 and 19. The inner end of the contact member 29 is provided with a notch 31 which engages with a pin'or bolt 32 on the arm 31. The forked end of the contact member 29 is heavier than its inner end, so

that when the forked end is swung out-' starting to drive the same will cause the signal to sound as soon as they have turned the wheels slightly in either direction. However, should the owner or driver wish to start the car he can throw thecontact member out of engaging position to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, where it will remain until it is desired to again set the same. v

Having thus described my invention, which however I do not wish to limit to the exact arrangen'ient shown and described, except as specified in the appended claims, what I claim and desire to secure by Lettors Patent is:

1. ln'a signal apparatus for automobiles, the cc'unbination with the front axle and the steering cross rod, of electric contacts secured to said axle and said cross rod respectively and adapted to make contact when the cross rod is moved, an electric signal or the like, a source o-felectricity, and a circuit-from said source to the signal, said circuit includingthe axle and cross rod contacts.

2..In a signal apparatus for automobiles, the con'ibination with the front axle, of a pair of electric contacts thereon, a steering cross-rod, a contact on said cross-rod arranged to make contact with one or the other of the axle contacts when the crossrod is moved, an electric horn or the like, a source of electricity, and a circuit from said source of electricity to the horn, said circuit including the axle and cross-rod contacts.

3. In a signal-device for automobiles, the: combination of a front axle, a pair of flexrv ble contacts mounted on said axle, a steering cross-rod, a contact mounted on said same when the rod is moved to turn the be operated.

- MARTIN C. STAMM.

Witnesses:

IRENE Fonnner, RoswnLL MESSING. 

